LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Pep Guardiola insisted Manchester City must respect Arsenal when they face the Premier League leaders in a seismic title showdown next weekend.

Guardiola’s side closed the gap on Arsenal to just six points with an emphatic 3-0 win at Chelsea on Sunday.

Second-half goals from Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku ensured City capitalised on Arsenal’s shock 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth 24 hours earlier.

They have a game in hand on Arsenal and victory in their crucial clash at the Etihad Stadium on April 19 would seize the momentum in a gripping title race.

City, six-time champions under Guardiola, are hitting peak form at just the right time, while Arsenal appear to be cracking under the pressure of chasing their first English title since 2004.

But Guardiola is well aware of the threat posed by Arsenal despite their recent run of three defeats in four matches in all competitions, including a 2-0 loss to City in the League Cup final.

“The respect I have for Arsenal, what they have done the last few years. I know the manager, the players, the quality, how they compete in every circumstance, that’s the biggest job we have. There is a tactical issue, maybe we will adjust something,” Guardiola said.

“They have been the best team in this country, in Europe, so far. Beating Arsenal once is so difficult, imagine beating them twice in a few weeks. We have to rest.

“I would like to say to my fans: respect Arsenal a lot, they are an extraordinary team. Come to join us from minute one because the players will do the maximum.”

– ‘Extraordinary’ Cherki –

Guardiola believes City were underestimated going into the League Cup final, a feeling which his players were able to use as motivation.

Keen to ensure City keep that feeling, he said: “We are going to play against a team that in 49 games lost three games, in the Champions League didn’t lose once this season.

“In the League Cup final we were complete underdogs. There is not one person in this country that would bet £1 that we would be much better.

“It’s important to beat Arsenal because we are six points behind them. If they beat us it’s over, if we draw also.”

Arsenal have twice blown substantial leads to City in the title race in 2023 and 2024.

Ominously for the Gunners, City have a well-earned track record for peaking at the business end of the season.

When playing within their final 10 games across the last five Premier League seasons since 2021-22, City have lost just one of 43 matches, winning 32 times.

They have lost just one of their last 19 league games this season and are unbeaten in their last nine.

“We are growing. We have long weeks now we are out of Champions League. We are more fresh, in training, everyone knows exactly what they have to do,” Guardiola said.

One of the keys to City’s surge has been Rayan Cherki’s inspired form.

The France playmaker provided the cross for O’Reilly’s opener and a sublime pass for Guehi to net the second.

He now has 10 assists in the league in his debut season with City, prompting Guardiola to say: “Rayan is an extraordinary talent.

“He is so young, his impact in Premier League in first season, he is already an extraordinary player.

“He has the desire to be even better. That will be good for City and him.”